40 replies to this topic

[drakee510]

I've always liked rollercoasters, just not HUGE ones like diamondback. My freinds convinced me to go on it and up the hill I was like CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP, coming down the hill: WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo. I had the greatest time ever! Unfortunatly I rode it at closing time ;(. Did I mention that was yesterday? What was your first ride/ why are you afraid to go on it?

[flightoffear1996]

First ride was opening day in the front seat. Wasn't scared of it at all.

[jcgoble3]

My first ride on DB was in June 2010. It was my third visit to KI that year after not having been there since I was a kid in the mid-90s. I got basically a walk-on during ERT, and I remember being nervous going up the lift hill and then screaming all the way down the first drop—but after that, I loved the ride so much that I immediately rode again, this time without screaming. I've been hooked on coasters ever since.

[stashua123]

My first time on Diamondback was in August of 2011. I was nervous on the ride. And when i got down the hill. I screamed like no tomorow. At the brake run i looked like i crapped my pants . I rode it a second time June of 2012 and have loved it ever since

[MDMC01]

My first Diamondback ride was Opening Day 2009. I waited 10 minutes because I went through the single rider line. I remember it being a great ride but I wished the drops were a bit lower to the ground. When I got off, I got a "First Rider" T-shirt (which was an unexpected surprise).

[LongliveKingsCobra]

My first ride was opening day for the baby. Got my first rider tshirt too that day!
The line went so quick I was just amazed! I waited maybe an hour for it? It's a great ride and I loved it! The airtime is just amazing.

[Diamondbill]

Mine was in the auction before the park opened. Great ride even thou it was 40 degrees. I couldn't believe the way the line went around by the Eiffel Tower and back by Vortex.

[Titan]

I rode it on opening day of 2009, I was lucky and only waited 3 hours. But I remember at one point the line stretched all the way to the Eiffel Tower. I think it was around a 5 hour wait?

[dudecoasterman]

I rode it for the first time in August of 2010. I remember waiting 20-30 minutes for it. I love the ride and it was my first roller coaster that was over 200 feet tall.

[A.S.Coasters]

First ride was opening day 2009.

^^Yeah, actually 7 hours, wrapped all the way around Diamondbacks grassy station area.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

My first ride was opening day for the baby. Got my first rider tshirt too that day!
The line went so quick I was just amazed! I waited maybe an hour for it? It's a great ride and I loved it! The airtime is just amazing.

I rode it on opening day as well. I waited from Boo Blasters, maybe an hour wait. When I got off Diamondback they had rerouted the line.

This is the famous picture from that day



http://www.kidiamond...04-c43ffc819e93

[LongliveKingsCobra]

Same with me! I got off and I said... Whoa...that's a long line! Even the Beast had a long over flow line of people that day. Those are the only two rides I rode that day.

[spitfire]

Wow, that pic is crazy!

My first ride on Diamondback was last summer, in June. My cousin and I got there for ERT and we had just come off The Beast, and she knew I'd been talking about riding it. So she convinced me to get in line and we only waited 10 minutes or so. They put us in the second to last row, which terrified me because I prefer to be in the middle or towards the front if it's my first time on a coaster. I was so nervous, but I made myself stay in that seat and before I knew it we were clearing out of the station. Once we made it down the first drop, I loved it and have ever since.

[jdawg1998]

My first ride on Diamondback was a pretty crazy one.

It was a Bring a Friend Day in 2009 so I brought my friend Aaron with me. I had never been on Diamondback even though I told him I had. As soon as the restraints locked down on us I said, "Aaron - I lied. I've never been on this before." He about cursed when they said "all clear" and we were all set. I was very scared, because I used to be scared of any roller coaster I was new to. The whole ride from the drop to the final brakes with screamed "OH MY GOD", over and over again. We rode it another 7, 8, 9 times? (don't remember) and our last ride, Aaron puked off the side of the final brakes. Good times, good times.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Same with me! I got off and I said... Whoa...that's a long line! Even the Beast had a long over flow line of people that day. Those are the only two rides I rode that day.

I went from Diamondback to Son of Beast and marathoned that for awhile because it hardly had a line. Last chance I would have to Marathon SoB

My first ride on Diamondback was a pretty crazy one.

It was a Bring a Friend Day in 2009 so I brought my friend Aaron with me. I had never been on Diamondback even though I told him I had. As soon as the restraints locked down on us I said, "Aaron - I lied. I've never been on this before." He about cursed when they said "all clear" and we were all set. I was very scared, because I used to be scared of any roller coaster I was new to. The whole ride from the drop to the final brakes with screamed "OH MY GOD", over and over again. We rode it another 7, 8, 9 times? (don't remember) and our last ride, Aaron puked off the side of the final brakes. Good times, good times.

Thank you for not puking over the midway before the splashdown.

Yes I have seen and cleaned that mess up.

[jbum123]

I rode it for the first time during haunt of 2010 and held on to the seat te entire time. Ever since, it's been hands in the air! The first drop with your hands up makes it seem like you are falling straight down. Rode it for the first time in the dark last Saturday and can't wait to do it again on Thursday. It's given the Beast a run for its money for a "must ride in the dark" coaster for me.

[Jr for Birdy]

My first ride was in 2009 right after a S.o.B ride. I still enjoy watching the first timers, they usually look puzzled by the restraint and begin asking questions.They also push hard several times on there restraint before "all clear".They also like to hold the black support between the split seats,thats my favorite,like thats really gonna save your life! The first drop on my first ride of a day,still gets me!

[Elkman]

I rode it for the first time in summer of 2009, and was terrified. It was my first hypercoaster experience. It was the smoothest roller coaster ride I ever had, upto that point. I rode another two times that day, and felt it was the best ride at Kings Island, but it got old quick. The Beast quickly returned to its number one spot in my heart.

[jbum123]

I LOVE the restraint. I fell in love with it at Busch Gardens many years ago. Can't remember what coaster it was but it is a great restraint. I love it when you crest the top of the hills and can catch some serious air.

[The Interpreter]

^
That would have been Apollo's Chariot.

[TheCrypt]

I'm surprised how much activity there is here early on in the morning!

I love Diamondback. I've never been scared of any ride, and this was no exception. Rides are heart pounders or pure fun, just not scary. I'm glad it's the only roller coaster at Kings Island not to have a seat belt!

EDIT: I also lost my flip flop on Diamondback...At the brake run...

[McSalsa]

My first ride on Diamondback came in May of 2009. It was only my 2nd ever visit to Kings Island, and the first had been 9 years earlier in August 2000. Basically, I visited the opening years of the park's 2 biggest coasters ever built- SOB and Diamondback. I had conquered my fear of coasters on Beast, and had also ridden Vortex, Congo Falls, and White Water Canyon as "warm-ups". Seeing Diamondback's line at "only" 45 minutes (I considered that short for a brand-new 230' B&M Hyper) we got in line. Right before we got on the ride, it rained, and we had to wait 15 more minutes, making the total wait time one hour.

We began climbing the lift hill, and I noticed the two "big" coasters I had already ridden- Beast & Vortex- start to shrink, which was quite intimidating..."wait, wait, The Beast is supposed to be huge...why the heck is it so teeny looking...uh oh..." Then came the drop, and I will tell you this: I had no idea what "air time" was at the time. I had encountered it before, on a ride on the Blue Racer back in 2000, and didn't know what it was then , either, and it scared me to death. I had, however, this time browsed KIC (I didn't join yet) and heard the term. So, when I flew out of my seat, I knew what it was this time, but it was still pretty scary! Hill after hill, Diamondback kept launching me out of my seat, and the intensity was keeping up. The MCBR barley slowed us down, which I even commented on ("The brakes didn't slow us at all!") and we finally neared the end and hit the splashdown...

WOW. At the time, Diamondback had become my #1 coaster...but it would not stay there, as I took the first of several epic night rides on The Beast that very night and in 2010 visited Holiday World and discovered Voyage & Legend (I still rank Diamondback above Raven though, no slam on Raven it's still my #5 just too short....) and got a taste of super-strong ejector airtime. To make matters worse, Diamondback has, thus far, been unable to recapture that magical "Ride #1" status on any of my re-rides: probably because I now know what airtime is, feels like, and can expect it. The height still intimidates me a little bit, but I've since noticed the ride really isn't much besides airtime- no strong laterals or other g-forces besides it, no unexpected drops or turns (you can pretty much see everything on this ride beforehand), no tunnels (I enjoy them), and no crazy intensity (once you've become used to its airtime, of course).

And that was my first ride on, and a summary of my feelings on, Diamondback. It's a great ride, but I don't really see it as being 10/10 great anymore...but, once upon a time, after that first ride I did. (PS: My current rating of Diamondback is 9/10...) Also, anyone else notice how well Diamondback and Beast seem to work together, even though they are total opposites?

Diamondback
-Steel
-Little Use of Terrain
-Smooth
-Lots of Airtime
-"Traditional" Layout with lots of hills
-Splashdown Finale
-No Tunnels
-Heavily Visible throughout park. Dominates the skyline when viewed from parking lot.
-Built by a world famous coaster company, B&M

The Beast
-Wooden
-Heavy use of terrain
-Can be rough...it's a woodie
-Little to no airtime whatsoever
-Odd layout with few hills or drops...lots of straight track...
-540 degree tunnel helix finale
-4 tunnels
-Hidden in the woods with very little of the ride visible. Just try seeing it from the parking lot, that's a tough challenge!
-Built by the park itself (though Charlie Dinn & co. did eventually form their own company based off their experience with KECO wooden coasters, Dinn Corporation)

Wow...talk about different things that end up having a similar result- both the coasters are admired and have tons and tons of fans, yet are very, very different from one another...

[TheBEASTunchained]

My first ride on Diamondback was in June of 2010. My main ride purpose was The BEAST in 2009 like it always had been but I finally decided to ride Diamondback in 2010 and I loved it.

[KIfan73]

I rode it three times during the summer of 2009, and just never fell in love with it. It was thrilling for sure, but just didn't make the impression on me like some of the other rides in the park.

[DIeseltech20]

First ride was in August of 09. Since my last coaster ride was 19 years prior, I was nervous. First drop was with eyes closed and heart about to stop. After a couple more drops I relaxed a little and enjoyed the ride. That fear drove me to buy a pass in the spring so that I could conquer it. Since then the fear is long gone and I love riding most everything.

[Balloondoggle]

Still haven't ridden it. The only member of my family willing to ride it with me is too short to get on yet, and I don't like riding alone.

[ziplock]

My first Diamondback ride was in July of 2009. It was my first visit to Kings Island, and I went with my entire family from Wisconsin. Since the only roller coasters I had been on before this trip were at Mt Olympus, I had absolutely no idea what to expect and was very excited. After an amazing day of riding other rides with my brother, who has always been terrified of heights, we decided to get in line for Diamondback. We waited in line for about an hour, anticipation growing by the second. I'll admit, we were both extremely nervous getting on the ride, but by the time we got off, we couldn't wipe the smiles off of our faces. We liked it so much, were practically shaking with excitement after that spectacular ride and wanted to ride it over and over again. Our parents could even tell that we loved it by the ceaseless grinning.

That one ride was the ride that got me to love roller coasters. Ever since that day, I have ridden over 100 other coasters, but no experience can compare to that one ride. It was easily the best experience I have ever had on any ride.

[KingsIsland1972]

I love Diamondback! Let me just put it out there. I've rode it at least 20 Times since opening day. BUT...I had my FIRST RIDE in the back a week ago tomorrow. Let me say it was the most exhilarating ride on a coaster I've ever been on. So good, that I rode it back to back with my teenage son and that's what we talked about all day until we got home. So, I've been back since then and rode it yesterday during ERT twice (in the back) and I think I've found my new love. It feels like you're going at least 10x's faster than everyone else on the train and the air time....OH, the Air Time is AMAZING! I love the splashdown in the back. I come out with a soaked armpit everytime.

[DIeseltech20]

Still haven't ridden it. The only member of my family willing to ride it with me is too short to get on yet, and I don't like riding alone.

Shouldn't be too hard to find someone here that would ride with ya. A forum member was nice enough to help me conquer Drop Tower.

I accompanied three 1st timers yesterday evening. I like watching the reactions of someone riding for the first time. One Girl Scout went from tears to smiles

[KIfan1980]

My first ride was opening day 2009. I had been on vacation and was driving back from Missouri that Saturday. Finally pulled into the garage about 4:30pm and immediately headed off to KI hoping to get at least one ride that night. Through the luck of the Single Rider Line (remember that you were given cards to enter that line back then) I got my first ride before 6pm after waiting literally minutes. Got several more rides that night and many more since then.

- like the third hill the best
- prefer the right hand side seat
- love row 2 and row 16 for the different experiences but don't think there is a bad ride on the train